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Mackarel and Higgins on the treble

Andy Mackarel and Liam Higgins recorded their third win from three starts in this seasons Squealing Pig Border Navigation Championship in Dromard, Co. Longford last Saturday night. On what was deemed a truly enjoyable event in wet and windy conditions, Mackarel and Higgins pulled out all the stops to take a 3penalty win from Michael and Ciaran Tynan in 2nd overall on 7 penalties. Local semi-experts, Pickier Duffy and Nigel McCloughery were 3rd overall.

With only 4 experts starting the event their was enough crystal to go around but it wasn’t to be as championship chasers Colin Duffy/Sam Johnson and Daniel McKenna/Stephen Hagan both failed to finish the event. This left Michael and Ciaran Tynan taking the expert class. Pakie and Colin Duffy took a 7penalty win in the semi expert class ahead of Ashley Mc Adoo and Francis Keenan. Ciaran Coyle and Arthur Kierans teamed up at the last minute with Arthurs navigation skills coming along nicely to take 3rd semi-expert. Novice award winners were once again Martin Tynan and Fintan Clerkin with locals Michael Reilly and Shane Dalton 2nd. Dermot and Laurence Keenan rounded off the top 3 in novice class. It was a Donegal/Cork partnership which won the beginners class as Aidan Friel piloted Eoghan McCarthy to a class win and 5th overall to boot. Roscommon men Gerry Kelly and Seamus McTigue were 2nd with Keith McConnon and Michael McCluskey 3rd. Only two rounds remaining in this years Squealing Pig Border Championship with Cavan MC on 2nd March and Monaghan MC on 9th March

Midland MC Navigation Trial Top 12

1 Andy Mackarel/Liam Higgins (Subaru Impreza) 4 marks

2 Michael Tynan/Ciaran Tynan (Subaru Impreza) 7m

3 Packie Duffy/Nigel McCloughry (Subaru Impreza) 10m

4 Ashley McAdoo/Francis Keenan (Subaru Impreza) 17m

5 Aidan Friel/Eoghan McCarthy (Subaru Impreza) 26m

6 Martin Tynan/Fintan Clerkin (Subaru Impreza) 35m

7 Shane Dalton/Micheal Reilly (Subaru Impreza) 40m

8 Dermot Keenan/Laurence Keenan (Honda Accord) 61m

9 Gerry Kelly/Seamus McTigue (Subaru Impreza) 70m

10 Ciaran Coyle/Arthur Kierans (Subaru Impreza) 78m

11 Keith McConnon/Micheal McCluskey (Subaru Impreza) 85m

12 Ryan Connolly/Martin Swinburne (Subaru Impreza) 104m

Locals Fair Well on Forestry Opener

Sunday last saw Limerick Motor Club host the opening round of the 2013 Valvoline Forestry Championship. This short 4 stage event proved popular with scrutiny on the morning of the event as a field of 85 entries crossed the start ramp. Michael O Brien and Greg Shinnors held the lead through the opening 3 stages but were pushed out to 2nd o/a by a mere second on the final test by Philip Morrow and Jonny Hart in an EVO 9. Corks Owen Murphy and James O’Brien were 3rd o/a, also in an EVO 9. Vincent and JP McAree made a return to the stick’s for another year and quickly got into their stride with a top 3 stage time on the opener and finishing in 4th o/a, just 13 seconds off the rally winner and taking a class win.

Josh Moffatt and Jason McKenna were once again on the pace with very little experience on the gravel to take 7th overall. Paul Sheridan was navigating for Enda Mc Nulty in an impreza and finished in 8th overall. There was a great battle for two-wheel-drive honours throughout the day with Shane McGirr and Jackie Elliott just edging out Seamus O’Connell by 3 seconds to finish 12th and 13th respectively. Monaghans Michael Conlon with Sorcha Kelly on the notes were 3rd escort and 15th overall. Michael Carbin had his newly acquired EVO 4 on the loose surface for the first time and wasn’t long getting into the swing of things as he and navigator Stephen Thornton finished in 14th overall and 3rd in class. David Smith and Austin Hamill were also in Limerick and slid their EVO 4 home to 24th overall and 6th in the highly competitive class 20.

West Limerick Forest Rally Top 10

1 Philip Morrow/Jonny Hart (Lancer Evo 9 Gp N) 22m 07s

2 Michael O’Brien/Greg Shinnors (Focus WRC) 22m 08s

3 Owen Murphy/James O’Brien (Lancer Evo 9 Gp N) 22m 12s

4 Vincent McAree/J P McAree (Lancer Evo 9 Gp N) 22m 20s

5 Martin Cairns/Barry McNulty (Impreza WRC) 22m 25s

6 Pat O’Connell/Mark Wiley (Lancer Evo 9 Gp N) 22m 37s

7 Josh Moffett/Jason McKenna (Lancer Evo 9 Gp N) 22m 38s

8 Enda McNulty/Paul Sheridan (Impreza) 22m 58s

9 John Reid/Enda Shiels (Corolla WRC) 23m 09s

10 Liam Regan/Damien Duffin (Peugeot 206) 23m 10s

Daniel Mc Kenna Announces Plans for the 2013 Season

The 2012 Irish young rally driver of the year and recipient of the Billy Coleman

Award prize fund of €50,000, supported by Motorsport Ireland and the Irish Sports Council, will be competing in the 2013 British Rally Championship (BRC). Daniel and co-driver Arthur Kierans will commence their assault on the 7 round championship using a Ford Fiesta R2, with the goal of securing a good haul of championship points and trying to lay claim to a nomination for the coveted Pirelli Star Driver Shootout Competition (PSD). They will continue with this plan until such time as they secure the nomination for the PSD and from that point forward they will then upgrade to an R3 Class car in order to make an assault at the championship overall.

Daniel has recently completed an extensive gravel test in the Fiesta R2 and has adapted to the car quite quickly getting onto a good consistent pace with the new package and is feeling very confident on the approach to the championships first round in North Wales in April. Daniel plans on competing in an Irish gravel rally in the coming weeks to improve his pace in preparation for the championship and is also planning a full days testing in the rented Fiesta R2 he will be using in North Wales prior to the event.

Daniel has a few different options for the R3 class car he will compete in for the remainder of the championship, which will be announced in due course. Also he would like to say that tickets for the fundraiser to help support the crew in their BRC championship endeavors are still available and anyone interested in being Daniel’s Co-Driver for the day in his Trusty Escort Mk2 can get information on purchasing a ticket on Daniel’s website www.danielmckenna.net or on Daniel’s Facebook page.

Daniel is also seeking new sponsors for the BRC campaign and anyone that may be interested in promoting their business by getting their name on the car can contact Daniel via his website or Facebook page where all of his contact details are available.

Monaghan Motor Club Autotest

This Sunday see’s Monaghan Motor Club host their annual Autotest at Wrights Quarry, Swanns Cross. Once again Brendan Flynn is CoC and he and his team have laid on some challenging tests. As always their is a clubman’s section so we hope to see many members taking to the slippy concrete surface for a days competitive fun. The test trial is also a counting round of the Hewison National championship with competitors from all over the country in attendance. Marshals are still required so please make yourselves available if at all possible. Sign-on starts at 10.30 with practice from 11am and competition starting at 11.30am.